Heating and cooling system



Nuv. 24, 1942.

HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM Filed June 13, 1941 N. SHARPE f 2,303,094

- without alteration an Patented Nov. 24, 1942 a UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE 2,303,094 naa'rmo AND coonmo SYSTEM. Norman Sharpe, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Application June 1:, 1941, Serial No. 397,966 1 Claims. (01. 62-8) I This invention pertains to a heating and cool ing system and can well be referred to as" a 4 reversible heating and cooling system in that it utilizes the refrigerating cycle or the reversed cycle of a refrigerating unitfor either cooling or heating in accord with-requirements.

One object of the invention is the provision of a heating and cooling system which is extremely simple in construction in that it uses ordinary and conventional refrigerating unit and yet is highly eff cientin operation. I

A, further object of the invention comprises the utilization in a; novel and improved manner of an ordinary refrigerating unit for heating or cooling of any room or area.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a heating or cooling system which is highly eificient in operation by reason of the novel utilizationof water in combination therewith.

A still furtherobject is the provision of a heating and cooling system which is comparatively cheap and simple lation and use.

Other objects, novel features of construction and improved results of the system will appear from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The drawing'comprises a diagrammatic illustration of a system embodying the inventive concept but modifications of the construction illustrated can be made without departing from the invention defined in the hereinafter appended ""claims.

drawing, A designates a chamfor instance a theatre-or Referring to the her or room such as school room adjacent ferred, is disposed a housing B within which is positioned the major portion of the equipment or apparatus constituting an automatic refrigerating unit. This apparatus is positioned 'inter- "mediate the ends of the housingand comprises both of manufacture, instal-' The foregoing elements constitute a common andwell known form of refrigerating apparatus the mode and manner .of operation of which is so well understood by those skilled in the art as to need no further explanation.

The main housing B is divided longitudinally by a supplemental housing E within which is positioned the receiver 4 and at-opposite sides of which are positioned the before referred to evaporating and condensing coils C and D. Also within'this supplemental housing is positioned the refrigerating uni expansion valve 6.

, At one end, "which for convenience will be referred to as the inlet end, the housing B is connected to the theatre or school room by a conduit 1 and receives air from a Y of the room to be heated or cooled through a conduit 8.

Passage of air from the inlet end 9 of the housing over either the evaporating or condensing coils is under the control of two suitable'sets of shutters or dampers designated as by F and G. At the opposite sides of these coils are similar shutters or damper units H and J.

to or in which, if pre-.

anordinary and conventional evaporator C and a similarly conventional condenser D. Thereis, and preferably positioned exterior of the housing, a conventional compressor I driven by an electric motor 2 or some other like power unit. In conformity with conventional refrigerating units of the present type the compresser discharges in r gaseous form any suitable refrigerant through the pipe 3 to the condensing coil D where it-is liquifled and passes to a' which receiver is connected .to the evaporator C which in turn is connected to the intake side of the compressor i.

bya suitable pipe 5 conventionalreceiver 4 5 to: 2 is connected to the Beyond the dampers H and J lies the outlet end ll of the housing B which is connected to the theatre or school room by a suitable conduit H in which is positioned'a fan I2 having a drive motor [3. The fan through the conduit- I I into the room or area A.

At the air outlet side of the evaporating and condensing coils I provide a spray having a portion ll positioned to spray water on and through the evaporatingcoil anda portion. ii for spraying the condensing coil. A valve 16 is provided in association 'with these sprays and the operation thereof will be hereinafter described. This valve is connected by a conduit I! with a suitable source of water supply, preferably although not necessarily, a well, the preference of well water bein hereinafter pointed out.

In association with the foregoing equipment and elements is a source of electric current supply and certain electrically operated instrumentalities.

Three current supply l8, Hand 20 and these are connected at II, 22 and 23 to the fan conductors 24, 25 and 28 to a magnetic-starter designated as an entirety by K and which in real-' ity is a circuit maker andbreakenas will hereinafter more fully appear.

ag etic starter or point exterior an entirety l2 pulls air from the inlet end of the housing and dischar es the same lines are designated at.

motor l3 and by electric The compressor.moevv circuit maker and breaker by conductors 21, 23

and 29.

A damper operating motor or mechanism 30 is electrically connected to the magnetic starter by conductors 3| and 32 and also electrically connected through conductors 33 and 34-with a pair of thermostats 35 and 36 which are positioned within the theatre or school room. These thermostats-are connected to the main current supply condutorll'll as; indicated at 31.

The'damper operating motor is provided with areciprocatory shaft 38 to which is connected 9. cross head 39 the opposite ends of which through suitablerods or arms 40 and ll are 0 eratively connected to the shutters or dampers F and G and H and J respectively andoperate to move the dampers? and G to an open and closed position while simultaneously moving the dampers H and J to an open and closed position.

The water controlled valve I6 is electrically operatedand is connected to the aforementioned conductors 33 and 34 by conductors 42 and 43.

, The operation of the system is as follows Assuming that the theatre or school room is ,tobe maintained at a temperature at all seasons of not less than 70. degrees or more than 75 degrees the thermostat. 35 will be set at 75 degrees and the thermostat 36 at .70 degrees.

"Should'the temperature in the room A rise duit ll into the room A.

Simultaneously with this action the shutters G and J are closed so that no air can pass overthe condenser coil D and the water valve I6 is positioned so that the spray arm l5 will spray water on and through the condenser coil.

When the room reaches a temperature between 70 and 75 the thermostat will operate to discontinue delivery of electric current and operation of the system will cease.

If it be warm weather the apparatus will periodically operate as described.

If it be cold weather the system will of course operate to heat the room A and it is then that the thermostat 36 functions to control the delivery of electric current. This thermostat will function whenever the temperature in the room falls below 7.

70 and will cause the dampers and water valve to take the opposite position from that illustrated in thedrawing, namely. the dampers F and H will be closed and the dampers G and J opened.

The water valve will be shifted to deliver water to the spray arm H to spray water over the evaporator coil C. Air then drawn through the housing B by the fan l2 will be heated as it 2,303,094 Water from any source may be used but well water is preferable. I

In practically every part of the United States water. is available at a temperature above degrees even in winter when the outside temperature is as low or lower than 20 degrees.

At this season of the year when the present system would be functioning as a heating system this water will be sprayed over the evaporator andits temperature will be reduced to the neighborhood of 40 degrees. This will result in bringing the evaporator coil temperature to, a point above 32 degrees and ice will not form upon it. This will have the double advantage of maintaining the system at a high degree of eillciencyand will prevent icing or the clogging of the evaporator coil. Additionally the dampers F and H will be closed to prevent the passage of air over the evaporator and this will assist materially in preventing formation of ice on the evaporator coil.

During the summer season when the system i will be operated'to cool the theatre or other room water is usually available at a'temperature which is lower than the temperature of the atmosphere or outside air. During this period the dampers G and J are closed and cooling of the condenser coil is obtained by sprayingv water thereon which is much more effective and efilcient than by utilizing air because the air available would be of a higher temperature than that of the water available. Consequently a, low condensing temperahigh during this cycle.

ture will be obtained during the cooling cycle just as a higher evaporating'temperature is obtainable, as explained. during the heating cycle.

In final result this means that the output per horsepower of the system will be greater and the efliciency of the system greater than in those systems where air is carried over the evaporator during the heating cycle and air over the condenser during the cooling cycle.

In the present system the capacity thereof will be greatest when most needed. In respect to the heating cycle, by the use of well water, the temperature of which varies only slightly with the season, the evaporator temperature will remain The load on the equipment is greatest during the heating of the room as obviously this load isgreatly decreased 'once the room has been brought to the'desired temperature. Duringjthis heating stage the coldest air will be passing through the condenser and hence the condensing temperature will be lower than it is after the room has been brought to the desired temperature. Since the refrigerating system has its greatest capacity when the evaporating and condensing temperatures are the nearest to similarity the present system will accordpasses through the condenser coil and the operation will continue until the room reachesa temperature of 70 or above at which time the therperature will be at its highest.

into operation whenever the room temperature falls below, 70". l

The air dampers and water spray form a very 7 to one another whencooling the-room to the desired temperature than it will be during mainoperation ingly have its greatest capacity when that capacity is most needed. Respecting the cooling cycle the load on the equipment will be greatest when the temperature in the room is being lowered or cooled as the.load on the equipment will be materially reduced once the room has been brought to the desired temperature. During this cooling down or room temperature reducing stage the warmest air will be passing through the evaporator and as a consequence the evaporating tem- Additionally. .since well water will vary only slightly in temperature with the season the condenser temperature will remain low. As a result the evapoq rating and condensing temperatures will be closer asoaobc- ,3

the desired temperature after said tem-.

perature has been once reached and the capacity will be the greatest when most needed, namely,

during the cooling down period.

-I claim: I

l. A reversible cycle system for either heating or cooling a room comprising, a housing having an inlet end communicating with said' room and communicating with the atmosphere exterior of said room, a refrigerating unit including a-condenser coil and "an evaporator coil and .a compressor servin'gsaid coils, said housing having an outlet end having communication with said'room,

a fan for drawing air from said room and from exterior or said room into said housing and through the same and discharging said air into said room, said coils being positioned in the path or travel of the air through said housing, dampers for-selectively closing off either of said' coils against the passage o! air therethrough, a water spray associated with each of said coils and adapted to selectively spray water over either of said coils,' power means for driving said compressor, power meansfor driving 'said fan, means for simultaneously closing the dampers in respect to said condenser coil and opening the dampers in respect to said evaporator coil or vice versa, means synchronized with said damper operating means for causing the operation of that spray associated with that particular coil in respect to i which the dampers are closed, thermal responsive means'in said room for starting and stopping said refrigerating unit in accord with temperature requirements, and means controlled by said thermal responsive means for closing the'dampers and tuming'on the spray associated with one or the other of said evaporating or condensing coils in,

accord with whether cool or heated air is required in said room.

2. A reversible cycle system for either heating or cooling a room comprising,-'a housing having an inlet end communicating withsaid room and communicating with the atmosphere exterior of said room, arefrigerating unit including a condenser coil and an evaporator coil and a compressor serving said coils, said housing having an outlet end having communication with said room, a fan for drawingair from said room and from exterior of said room into said housing andthrough the same and discharging said air into said room-said coils being positioned in the path of travel of the air through said housing, dampers "for selectively closing ofi-either-wf said coils against the passageor air therethrough, a water spray associated with each of said coils and adaptedto selectively spray waterover either of said coils, power means iordriving said compressor, power means for driving said'fan, means for simultaneously closing the dampers in respect to said condenser coil and opening the dampers in respect ,to said evaporator coil or vice versa, means synchronized with, said damper operating means for causing the operation 0! that spray associated with that particular coil in respect to which the dampers are closed, a pair of thermostats in said room, one of said thermostats acting whenthe temperature in said room falls'below a predetermined degree to cause the operation of the refrigerator and fan power means, to close the dampers in respect to the evaporator coil and deliver fluid to the spray associated with said coil and to stop said compressor and said spray when the temperature in the room has reached a predetermined degree, and the other of said thermostats acting to start the power means ror said 75 or cooling a room comp compressor and fan and reverse the positions or the air' dampers and bring into operation'the other spray when the temperature in said room has risen above a predetermined degree and to cause the cessation of the operation of said compressor and motor power means and said spray when the temperature within said room reaches a predetermined degree.

3. A reversible cycle system for either heating or cooling a room comprising, a housing ving an inlet end communicating with-said room and communicating with the atmosphere exterior or said room, a refrigerating unit including a condenser coil and an evaporator coil and a compressor serving said coils, said housing having an outlet end having communication with said room, a fan for drawing air from said room and from exterior of said room into said housing and through the same and discharging said air into said room, said coils being disposed in side by side relationship in said housing and in the path of travel of air therethrough, a partition separating saidcoils, dampers at both sides of both of said coils and in association with said partition operative for selectively closing of! either of said coils against thepassage of air therethrough, a water spray associated with each of said coils and adapted to selectively spray 'water over either of them, powermeans for driving said compressor and said fan, means for simultaneously closing the dampers in respect to one coil and opening the dampers in respect to the other and vice versa,

I means synchronized with said damper operating means for turning on water to that spray associated with that particular coil in respect to which the dampers are closed, thermal responsive means in said room for starting and stopping said refrigerating unit in accord with temperature requirements, and means controlled by said thermal responsive means for closing the dampers and turning .on the spray associated with one hr the ,other or said evaporating or condensing coils in terior of'said room into said housing and through the same and discharging said air into-said room, said coils being disposed in side by side relationship in said housing and in the path or travel of air therethrough, a partition separating said coils,

dampers at both sides of both of said coils and in associationwith said partition operative for selectively closingofl either of said coils against the passage .of air therethrough,- a water spray associated with each of said coils and adapted to selectively spray water over either of them, power means for driving said compressor and said fan,

means for simultaneously closingthe dampers in respect to one coil and opening the dampers in respect to the other and vice versa, means syn-. chronized with said damper operating means for turning on water to that spray associated with that particular coil in respect to which the dampcm are closed, a pair of thermostats in said room, one of said thermosta ts ggierig when the temperature in said room falls ow a predetermined degree to cause the operation at the. refrigerator and fan power means, to close the dampers in respect to the evaporator coil and deliver fluid to the spray associated with said coil and to stop said compressor and said spray when the temperature in the room has reached a predetermined degree, and the other 01' said thermostats [acting to start the power means for said comroom reaches a prede- 6. A reversible cycle system 'for either heating or cooling a room comprising, a housing having an inlet end communicating with said room, a refrigerating unit including a condenser coil and an evaporatorcoil and a compressor serving said coils, said housing having an outlet end having communication with said room, a fan for drawing air from said room into said'housing and through the same anddischarging said air into said room,

- said cofls being positioned in the path 01' travel of the air through said housing, dampers for selectively closing of! either of said coilsagainst the passage of air therethrough, a water spray associated with each of said coils and adapted to selectively spray water over either of said cofls, power means for driving said compressor, power means for driving said fan, means for simultaneously closing the dampers in respect to said condenser coil andopening the dampers in respect to said evaporator coil or vice versa, means synchronized with said damper operating means for causing the operation of that spray associated with that particular coil in respect to which the dampers are closed, thermal'responsive means in said room for starting and stopping said re-- frigerating unit in accord with temperature requirements, and means controlled by said thermal responsive means for closing the dampers and turning on the spray associated with one or the other of said evaporating or condensingcoils in accord with whether cool or heated air is required in said room.

7. A reversible cycle system for either heating or cooling a room comprising, a housing having an inlet end communicating with said room, a refrigerating unit including a condenser coil and an evaporator coil and a compressor serving said coils, said housing having an outlet end communicating with said room, means for circulating air by drawing air from said room into said'housing and through the same and discharging said air into saidroom, said coils being positioned in the path of travel of the air through said housing, dampers for selectively closing ofl either of said coils against the passage of air therethrough, a liquid dispensing device adaptedto'selectively discharge liquid upon either of said coils, power means for driving said compressor, means for substantially simultaneously closing the dampers in respect to said condenser coil and opening the dampers in respect to said evaporator coil or vice versa, means synchronized with said damper operating means for causing the liquid dispensing device to discharge liquid over that particular coil in respect to which said dampers are closed, thermal responsive means responsive to the temperature within said room for starting and stopping said refrigerating unit in accord with temperature requirements, and means controlled by said thermal responsive means for closing the dampers and causing said liquid dispensing device to discharge liquid over one or the other of said evaporating or condensing coils in accord with whether cool or heated air is required in said room. a

NORMAN SHARPE. 

